The present invention is directed to a beverage dispenser, particularly, a beverage dispenser utilizing a direct drive control system for accurately monitoring and controlling the thickness of the semi-frozen beverage dispensed from the beverage dispenser of the invention.
Equipment for dispensing frozen or semi-frozen products such as margaritas, daiquiris, frozen lemonade, and frozen natural fruit juices are well known in the prior art. Such devices vary from a simple hand crank unit used to make homemade ice cream to high capacity, high output cocktail freezers used by commercial establishments. Two features of great importance for beverage dispensing equipment is freeze down time and consistency of delivered product. Both of these features are particularly important to commercial establishments where high output yields high profits.
Prior art designs of frozen beverage dispensers are typically large and unattractive or alternatively, compact and low production units. Prior art dispensers typically include large belt driven units requiring large flywheels to gain the torque required to drive the beater and mechanical controls which monitor and control the temperature or thickness of the slush in the freezing cylinder. These belt driving units were typically noisy and prone to freeze ups and mechanical failure. As the belts age or incorrect beverages are placed in the dispenser, the formation of ice blocks in the freezing cylinder commonly occurs causing belt slippage and other mechanical breakdowns. Prior art dispenser units commonly employ a continuous copper coil evaporator operating at a relatively low temperature differential resulting in an inefficient cooling unit. Another disadvantage associated with prior art dispenser units is high maintenance requiring daily disassembly and lubrication of the mixing cylinder assembly and well trained personnel to operate and maintain the dispenser unit. These and other disadvantages are overcome by the compact and relatively maintenance free design of the beverage dispenser of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a frozen beverage dispenser which consistently and accurately maintains a set product slush thickness regardless of the beverage ingredients mixed to form the frozen beverage. This is accomplished by a directed drive control system which monitors and controls the thickness of frozen slush in the dispenser by periodically turning on and off the flow of refrigerant to the freezing chamber containing the selected beverage mix.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a frozen beverage dispenser which utilizes an improved rear seal mount assembly in the mixing cylinder which provides a fluid seal about the rotary shaft of the beater bar, yet provides a quick connect/disconnect coupling for removal of the beater bar from the mixing cylinder.